Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• Dried oregano
• Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• Mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
• 2/3 cup rice, uncooked
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16 ounce jar) brined grape leaves
• 4 small eggs, beaten*
• 3 lemons, juiced
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. In a bowl mix the raw ground beef, onion, oregano, parsley, mint, rice, salt, and pepper together.
2. Carefully, separate the vine leaves. Place each leaf on a wooden board shiny side down, with its stem toward you. Put a teaspoon of the stuffing near the bottom of the leaf, fold the bottom and 2 sides to cover the filling, and roll tightly toward the tip of the leaf.
3. Place them in a casserole dish or pan and cover with several of the remaining grape leaves. Cover completely with stock or water and place in a preheated 350 degree F oven to bake for 1 hour, or until the rice and the leaves are tender and the juice absorbed.
4. Once the grape leaves are done, uncover them. Carefully pour any remaining liquid out of the pan into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the lemon into the eggs and beat until frothy. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth from the grape leaves into the egg/lemon mixture. If it is done too fast, the eggs will curdle. Pour the entire egg mixture over the grape leaves and let sit to warm. Serve cold as a meze (appetizer) or warm as an entree.